Method of capping bottles



F. ROEHRIG. I METHOD OF CAPPING BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-7.1918.

Patented May 4, 1920.

[numzar Berna l d F Rae/Z217 BERNARD F. ROEHRIG, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

METHOD OF CAPPING BOTTLES.

pecification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1920.

Application filed November 7, 1918. Serial No. 261,518.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BERNARD F. Roma ne, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pasadena, California, .have invented a certain new and useful Method of Capping .Bottles, of which the followingis a full,

a. and like containers which are closed by means of corks, stoppers and the like, and the capping member or material being of such a nature as to hermetically seal the bottle or container to which it is applied, and of such form and color as to lend to the bottle or jar a neat, finished and distinctive appearance.

My invention consists in the formation of caps or inverted cup-shaped members from gelatin or gelatinous material, the subjecting of said caps to a liquid solution to cause them to expand and at the same'time render them soft and pliable, the placing of said expanded pliable caps upon the corked or stoppered ends,of bottles, and the subsequent drying and trimming of'said caps.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevational View of one of the dried gelatin caps utilized in carrying out my improved method. I

Fig. 2 is asectional view of a receptacle containing a solution into which the caps are immersed to cause them to expand and render them soft and pliable.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the upper portion of a bottle and showing one of the pliable caps applied thereto.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the upper portion of a bottle and showing the cap as it appears when properly applied to the stopper and neck of the bottle.

In carrying out my improved method, I form from gelatin or gelatinous material, preferably by molding, caps 10 of inverted cup-shape, the same having sufficient diameter and length to wholly inclose the end of the bottle or container to which they are to be applied. These caps are dried after being properly formed and stored until ready for use Obviously this drying action renders the caps hard and in drying, the caps shrink to a considerable extent so that in their finished state they are relatively smaller in size than when originally formed.

To soften the caps when the same are to be applied to the bottles or containers, said caps are immersed for a suitable period of time in a formaldehyde solution. This solution is composed of approximately one,- half gallon of water; approximately eight (8) drains of thirty-seven per cent. (37%) formaldehyde, and one dram of glycerin. (See Fig. 2.) The caps are allowed to remain in this solution from one to three hours, depending upon their size, and when removed from said solution, the caps are rinsed off in cold water, then rolled over upon fibrous material such as blottingpaper or fabric which absorbs all the surplus Water.

The caps which are now in a relatively soft and pliable condition and expanded in size with respect to their size when dry are applied directly to the corked or stoppered ends of the bottles or jars A, and the edge of each cap is pressed inwardly so that it will adhere to the neck or body of the bottlelor jar.

After the caps have become partially dried, the edges are trimmed off and after said 'caps have become thoroughly dried, they adhere directly against the surfaces of the bottle or jaw in the mouth thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

The cap hermetically seals the corked end of the bottle or jar and imparts to the same a neat and finished appearance.

In the event that it is desired to color the caps, a coloring solution consisting of one-half (a) ounce of anilin dye of the desired color thoroughly dissolved in approximately eight (8) ounces of water is added to the formaldehyde solution and when the caps are immersed in the latter solution, they will be properly colored.

I have demonstrated in experiments and practice that gelatin is'the ideal material to use in the formation of the caps, for caps of this material when subjected to the formaldehyde glycerin solution, will expand to approximately three times their original size, or their size when dry, and said caps when rendered soft and pliable are elastic to a considerable extent, thereby enabling them to be stretched in being positioned over the neck of a jar or bottle and the stopper positioned therein. Thus a gelatin cap of a given size when rendered soft and p11- able by immersion in the solution can be applied to any one of a number of bottles or jars of different sizes. Consequently it 15 not necessaryto produce and carry in stock a relatively large numberof different sized caps. Further, as the gelatin cap can be stretched or expanded while soft, it can be readily applied to bottles having specially formed stoppers or stoppers having parts which extend "a substantial distance beyond the lip of the bottle. Further, gelatin caps can be readily colored or tinted with ordi-.

nary water soluble anilin dyes and this will enable a dealer to readily-color the caps to match the color of the contents of the bottles oncontainers to which the caps are ap lied.

elatin caps will keep indefinitely and do not deteriorate in hot or dry climates.

Bottles and like containers capped or covered by my improved method are hermetically sealed, with the result that the contents of said bottles remain unimpaired for an indefinite period or until the bottles are opened, and further, the capping on the bottles adds materially to their appearance,

particularly -when placed on display in a showcase or the like.

The caps being of relatively thin material are very easily removed when it is desired to extract the cork or stopper of the bottles or like container.

' I claim:

1. The hereindescribed solution for treating gelatin caps for bottles to render said caps soft and pliable while wet and tough when dry, said solution being composed of water, formaldehyde, glycerin, and a coloring agent.

2. The hereindescribed solution for treat- ;ing gelatin caps for bottles to render said caps soft and pliable while wet and tough when dry,.said solution being composed of BERNARD F. RGEHRIG. 

